The Heroes and Angels Chronicles
by purplesnake0512
Summary: In a world where the forces of Darkness and Light constantly clash, and the Angels and Demons lead the fight, it will take a group of heroes to end it. Join Gwen, Mavis and other heroes and angels on their quest to battle the Forces of Darkness. And hopefully spark some love on the way.
1. Prologue

Prologue

 **Disclaimer: I do not own League of Angels. All characters belong to Youzu Interactive Co. Ltd and GTArcade, except for my OCs.**

Long ago, in the holy land of Etheria, where the diverse races of humans, elves, dwarves, fairies and many more inhabit its fertile land, building their homes and lives by the clear river, in the lush forest or up on the mountain high. Reigning over them in the heavens above is the Pantheon of Angels, the dwelling place of the most powerful and oldest species: Angels. Each angel represents a part of the human life and insured peace and harmony for all the land.

But among them are a malevolent group, known as the Forces of Darkness, hell-bent on making humans their slaves and robbing Etheria of its wealth. But every single time they rise up, the angels would subdue them back to their home, the Abyss and just like that, peace is brought back to the land.

But this time, it's different. The Forces have a secret weapon: the Seal of Life, the artifact that hold the angels' power. Without it, the angels are deprived of their power and entered a dreamless slumber, leaving all of Etheria, defenseless.

But the races did not yield to the Forces and even under their ruthless control, they slowly developed an alliance and resistance. Soon many more heroes from broken kingdoms gathered and they were known as the Brave. Each Brave swore an oath to find a way to awaken the angels and with them, rid this world of evil forever. With their relentless determination and knowledge: they soon learned how to break the curse, they must gather the fragments of the Seal of Life, broken by the Forces, and with each fragments gained, an angel will awake.

Now, with the power of the Braves and the Angels combined, a new league is formed, dedicated to restoring the angels and train new generations of heroes, the League of Angels!


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: A Destined Meeting

 **Disclaimer: I do not own League of Angels. All characters belong to Youzu Interactive Co. Ltd and GTArcade, except for my OCs.  
**

* * *

Many people have said that I was fated to walk down the path of herohood the moment I was given life. But to the people closest to me, namely my sister, best friends, boyfriend and guild mates, it started with the fight in the tavern. However, it actually began when I met Frigg, the angel of blessing. But to understand my whole story, we have to start at the beginning.

I was born Gwendoline Ceridwen Alvey, part-elf, second daughter of Trisha and Nicholas Alvey and little sister to Mavis Alvey. Our family resides in the Fairy Cottage, the name of our house, in the region Yggdrasil among many other residents and creatures. Our continent was special as most of the land was inhibited by the fabled World Tree, so back in the days of the first settlers, they had already made their home in the many levels of the tree. My childhood consists of simple happiness like bickering with my sister, playing on the endless, blooming, green fields with my friends, tagging along with my mother to gather herbs or with my father to his forgery, and constantly hanging around every crook and cranny with my sister to catch a glimpse of Ysera.

But all of it changed when the Forces of Darkness invaded our once serene world like uninvited strangers. Goblins, Monsters and several Dark Mages and Warriors tore down our picture of happiness with its blue sky and smiles and replaced with a bleak portrait of smoked background and ashes. But even under their rule, we did not surrender, instead, we rebelled. With our unity and courage, we were able to suppress them. But that does not mean they were gone forever, no, they continued to lurk in the shadows, waiting for our wall to crumble.

Not long after, the word of a League of Angels came to Yggdrasil and many young warriors, mages and archers alike, began to leave their homes to join them for a better cause. I was only 14 when the first batch of heroes left our village, leaving behind anxious parents, mourning lovers and proud friends. That day, as my family watched them embark on their journey on mounts or on foot under the rising sun with hues of orange, red, yellow and a touch of pink; with the rustling of twinkling leaves above us, my sister and I was struck with an idea. We looked at one another and it was as if like we could read each other's mind.

"Mom, Dad," we said simultaneously, "We want to join the League of Angels." And although we saw a flash of solemnness in the eyes, they still smiled at us and said "Of course." Thus began our training.

Since Mavis was a little girl, she was instantly fascinated with swords and would always follow father to the forgery, so it was no surprise that she wanted to become the mightiest warrior of Etheria. From then on, every single afternoon, she and father would be outside clashing swords with each other, with exercises on the side. Me, I was different, I wanted to become a mage. This proved to be a hard challenge for my parents as my father was a well-trained warrior and my mother, a profound healer so most of the time they didn't know what to teach me. Still, I spent my days taking healing lessons from my mom, reading and researching about spells in the library with my grandmother's, who was a great elven mage before she died, old notes. And occasionally learning and practicing magic with Ranger Jilleon, the elf priestess in our village as well.

After many years of skill honing, my sister finally turned the ripe age of 18, the age of adulthood. Wasting no time, we threw a marvelous feast to celebrate her coming-of-age and wish her luck on her upcoming journey. The next morning, with the crack of dawn, she departed. I was 16 then, and as I watched her fading silhouette from my room window, I longed for the day of my 18th birthday.

* * *

 _2 years later,_

Pale sunlight filtered into my room through silky thin lavender curtains, illuminating my fair face. I tried to block out the sunlight with my wool blanket to no avail, so I begrudgingly got up and walked to the bathroom whilst yawning. As my blue eyes finally adjusted to the lighting, I began to brush my teeth and wash my face over the wooden basin. I then proceed to the wardrobe while brushing my shoulder-length lavender hair, picking out a dark purple dress with gold linings and a dark cloak which covered my whole body. I walked over to the mirror nearby and observed myself. "Happy 18th birthday, Gwen." I smiled.

"Gwen! Breakfast!"

"Yes mother!"

Just like that banquet years ago, today's breakfast was more bountiful than common, with eggs, smoked meat, a platter of cheese, a cold jug of milk and various other types of fruits and dishes. Mother really outdid herself. We ate to our heart's content while chattering about the League, the Forces and many other things. At the end, to celebrate my birthday, she brought out a cake and once again, we enjoyed it very much. As she was packing the leftovers for my trip, father called me over to the library.

"Gwen," he started. "My dear girl, it still feels as if though you are still little, with you running around on your tiny legs, laughing. But look at you now, 18 and ready to take on the world. Words cannot describe how proud I am." He had a melancholy and nostalgic look on him now, as though he was reliving the past years in his mind.

"Oh father."

"Oh yes of course! I almost forgot. I have something for you." Snapping out of his trance, he cried out and walked over to the left part of the library. He then fingered the spine of the books, like searching for a certain one. Finally, his finger stopped on a blue spine with silver cursives and promptly pulled it down. The library creaked momentarily, and emit a noise so old and ancient and dusty that it reminded me of those dungeons that my sister had described in her letters.

I opened my eyes in awe. The centerpiece of the library, a circle depicting the figure of a young woman, with her gold and bronze locks hiding away her eyes and upper torso, the insignia of the League of Angels, began to spiral upwards, revealing a hiding place. But what really astonished me was the content inside, a Peerless Staff. As I stood there still frozen in shock, father had already taken out the legendary staff and presented it to me:

"This used to belong to your grandmother, it has served her well back in the days, and I hope it would help you on your journey too."

I took the time to admire the staff, admire its thin and silvery body, the metal vines climbing up to meet the base, where it outstretched into a half-wing like design, and in the middle, glowing in midair, a bright sky blue crystal. But once my fingers touched the cool rod, the crystal changed from blue to a fiery purple, radiating bright lights that wrapped and moved around it. I felt an enormous amount of power surge through my veins, sending my senses tingling.

"Wow." I breathed.

"It seems that the staff is happy with its new owner. I have also socketed 2 gems into it for you. It should be ready." My father smiled.

"Thank you so much, father, I will treasure it well." I embraced my father, inhaling his familiar scent and feeling his scratchy beard against my hair. Who knows how long until I can do this again?

"We should get going, your mother must be anxious right now." And to some degree, he was right. When we came back from the library, mother was standing at the front door with her hands on her hips, a comical frown present on her face. My father chuckled and pecked lightly on her cheek. She then turned to me and gave me the leather rucksack filled with clothes, food and other equipment.

"Oh my two beautiful girls, both so grown up now, and leaving to see the world." Although my mother was never one to cry, I could still hear the tears in her voice. It was at this time that I see how aged she really was, with her clandestine scars and time imbued on her face. I hugged her with all my might, amazed at the fact that I am now half a head taller than her.

"Be careful out there my dear, the world's a dangerous place. Only trust the ones deserve to be trusted." She tenderly kissed me on my forehead.

"I will mother."

"May the Angels be with you." My parents said in unison as I finally departed. We waved at each other for a long time until I turned away. But once I reached the hill, I looked back one last time at my childhood home, and somehow I can imagine my father comforting my mother.

* * *

I chose not to embark on my journey right away, but opted to walk around the village one last time. I first visited the schoolhouse, where children were already filling into the small though cozy building. I stood under the trees, smiling as several younglings came up to greet me and I finally left when the schoolmaster rang the bell.

My next destination was the Plaza, and even at the earliest hours of the morning, shops and stalls were already opened, letting the people indulge in the freshest of goods. I didn't buy anything though, instead, I simply took in the sheer bustle of the market, the quiet conversations and the audacious laughter, the earthy scent and the boiling of herbs and potions. I then ascended a flight of stairs that lead to another platform. There, in the middle of the circle, resides our patron angel's statue, Ysera. Surrounding the statue was a small pool of water, in the middle was a ring of stones and above that just a few meters, was the life-size crystal sculpture of the Angel of Trees herself.

In the past, the emerald light emitting from the statue was once our guiding light, but since the days the Darkness took over, it has never been lit for many years. I stood there, eyes focused at the statue and ears hearing nothing but the sound of water rushing down to give eternal life to the World Tree.

"What plagues your mind, young Brave?" It was the melodious voice of a certain elf that next entered my ears.

"I have yet to earn the rank of being a Brave, Jilleon." I smiled sheepishly as the orange-haired, red-clothed elf priestess walk over to me, her tall staff clicking the ground with every step.

"Ah my dear, but you will be soon, aren't you leaving today?" She inquired.

"Well yes, but I decided to just get acquainted with Yggdrasil one more time." My words were directed at her but my blue eyes refused to meet her own, in fear that she would know my thoughts. We stood there in silence, until I felt a comforting, soft hand landing onto my shoulder. I looked over to her in astonishment, to see her smiling gently me:

"You will do just fine in the outside world, my child. Just like your sister."

"Yes, indeed, just like my sister." I said wryly. Somehow, my soul felt even heavier than before.

* * *

I have never known that the path to the Elf Village would be so dark and treacherous and just simply so gloomy and dangerous, although not one monster has yet to pounce on me from a bush nearby. Still, it would seem that I should have pay attention to where I was going as there was a decently nice path just the right of me when I took the turn. Wonder if my sister made the same mistake as I did? Even so, I would hope that I would get to the village before the moon rises as my body is not just shivering from the biting cold.

While I was making my way through the claustrophobically dirt road lined with twisted, gnawed trees, I, very embarrassingly I tell you, tripped over some kind of jagged stone. I painfully rubbed my aching ankle, cursing my luck to the high heavens the whole time. I then turned back to face the bringer of my pain, to see a blue crystal-like object lodged in the dirt. I pulled the object out; it was a flat translucent like crystal, shining a transparent azure blue. On the smooth surface, a set of decorative wings was carved beautifully and under it, in white cursive writing, was _Frigg._

"Frigg." I tested that name on my tongue, and with the final syllable, I was blinded by a bright light emitting from the thing in my hand right now. When the light has finally subsided and I was left to rub my burning eyes once again, a figure was currently detached an inch from earth and said figure was looking at me in a very peculiar matter.

When I came to be, I was faced with an ethereal being, one having golden blonde waves that seems to move on its own, dressed in a pure porcelain white gown that covered most of her breasts, with a small pair of wings attached to her hips, a long slit along the middle showing off a pale leg and silvery high heels, along with that her silver staff was glowing blue in midair, controlled by the movements of her hand. I knew right away, that she was an Angel, but not just any angel, she was Frigg, the harbinger of rain and the listener of blessings.

"Your Holiness." I instantly got down on one knee, my eyes seeing the dirt.

"Please, do not bow to me I beg of you. You were the one who saved me, so it would be fair for me to see the face of my savior." Her voice was light and airy, but I could still hear the franticness in her tone. Abiding by her request, I stood up.

"Tell me, what is your name?"

"My name is Gwendoline Alvey."

"Gwendoline, a fitting name for a brave individual like you, you have my utmost gratitude, for you have rescued me from many years of slumber."

"Me? But how…" I then looked at the item in my hand and suddenly a revelation dawned on me. She smiled at me:

"Yes, in your hand, is my curse-breaker and the source of all of my power. With it, I was able to break free from the curse and appear before you today, and now, as long as you have it in your possession, I will follow you." Her heeled feet finally touched the ground and she slightly bowed to me.

"Then, it is an honor to make your acquaintance and be able to fight alongside you, your Holiness." I also bowed back, with my arms expanded and my staff almost touching the ground.

"Please, call me Frigg." Her laugh was like the soft pitter-patter of rain on a cool day and just like the rain, it calms my heart. Our introduction was disrupted by a most sickly and distasteful roar and I assure you, both of us found no want in finding out the owner of the sound.

"I think it is best if we make way to the Elf Village as soon as possible." I said, ears cringing from the sound.

"Yes, that would be very wise; it seems that the night is upon us as well."

The wheels of my destiny has begun to turn, everything starts from here.


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Tavern Fight

 **Disclaimer: I do not own League of Angels. All characters belong to Youzu Interactive Co. Ltd and GTArcade, except for my OCs.**

* * *

I later found out that holding a conversation with Frigg was much easier than I initially thought, evidence being our laughter throughout the journey. I believe part of it was due to her spending most of her life living as the tribal chief's daughter and being among us mortals, it makes the border between our species that much less distant.

"How was it like to finally found out that you were an Angel?" I curiously asked.

"Unbelievable, mostly. Do you know that feeling when you thought you are something but then you found out that you are something else? It was like that in a way." She said.

"It must be quite hard, then."

"Yes, it most definitely was. Although living with the Angels is very much fascinating, I find myself missing the tribe sometimes."

The conversation left us to walk, or actually in her case, float, in solitude, until finally we were at the entrance to the Elf Village. Considering that the sky was dark and the streets were illuminated by only the moon, the streetlights and the cool cerulean light from the Nocturna statue, the streets of the village was only mildly inhabited, with most of its inhabitants either staying inside or at the local tavern.

"So, where do we go from here?" Frigg asked, her feet touching the ground this time.

"Well, my sister has arranged to meet at the Night Owl Tavern, so I supposed I am to go there." I said while going to the direction of the tavern, but I then noticed that the blond angel wasn't following me.

"What is the matter?" Frigg was shuffling around nervously.

"The tavern is not really a place for an Angel. Maybe it is better if I not enter. I believe Nocturna or Lunaria is nearby though, perhaps I can seek company in them for a while."

"Alright then." I nodded.

"If you find yourself in need, then just use the stone, and I will be there." With that, she disappeared into thin air, probably going to the Temple of the Moon, where the Angel of the Night and the Angel of the Moon resides.

When I pushed open the mahogany door, the dimly lit tavern was full of noises, most commonly the booming laughter coming from the patrons and barmaids. Combining this with the smell of ale and faces of famous heroes and civilians, make up a familiar scene. I went to the bar, ordering a bowl of stew and some bread to dine on while waiting for my sister.

It would have been a simple night if a certain stranger had not walked in. I was drinking down a cup of water when the doors slammed open, cutting off most of the conversation in the room. Everyone's eyes were on the buff figure slowly walking towards the bar. The person sat down with a "thud" and called out his order in a rough and loud voice, scaring half of the barmaids. I looked over at him through the corner of my eye and saw a large man with mussed up black hair, a scruffy beard. But his most striking feature was his brown eyes, which glint with a slight hint of menace.

When his order came, he didn't even thank the barmaid, instead he glared at her and she immediately scurried off. But what was even worse was:

"You call this ale? I've had ale better than this made by a blind man!" As he yelled this, he threw the pint at the nearby blond barmaid, soaking her through the bone. The man laughed at the sight, but no one joined in. When she kneeled down to clean up the mess, she unintentionally got some ale splattered onto his boot.

"You little wench! Look at what you have done now!" The man shouted, clearly enraged. The girl flinched back as she was being shouted at, and evidently the man noticed this, and even rejoiced when he sense her fear.

"But I am sure you can repay me in…other ways." He said suggestively while eyeing her up and down, further terrifying the poor girl. I have finally had enough of the sight, and decided to step in.

"That is enough." I said while holding the man's straying hands. Hearing my voice, he turned to glare at me.

"And who are you to tell me what to do?"

"It does not matter who I am, but the fact that you are the most irritable, perverted and conceited all of Etheria has ever seen so kindly move yourself out of this tavern before I kick your bum out of it myself." I finished my little rant and waited for his reaction. To my surprise he just laughed:

"You, defeat me? Stupid, misguided girl, do you not know that women are only born to be in the inside taking care of the household?" He said as he took a lock of my purple hair and smelled it, all the while giving me perverted looks. It was then that I started to twitch.

"But then again, I won't deny that you have the perfect body to mother some children." He purred, his hands once again straying to a place where he wasn't supposed to be. My twitching got even worse, until I couldn't take it anymore. I knee-up on the place where the sun don't shine and then kicked him in the stomach for good measure. He was soon on the ground weeping under the pitying but also "you deserve it" glances of the others. I levitated him out of the tavern with my magic as I know that he won't be able to walk himself, I then resume my eating.

"That was quite impressive of you." Another voice of a man said next to me. Oh I swear to the Angels if this is another man looking for a night of pleasure I will personally walk out myself.

"He got what he deserved." I shrugged.

"Of course, as expected of you, Little Elf." I jolted, there is only one person in the entire universe who I would allow to call me Little Elf. I turned to face the person who just uttered my nickname.

"Arthur?" It was him! I recognized that bright blood-stained mob of hair and electric green eyes anywhere. He was wearing a full-bodied robe with tattered ends, colored various shades of blue and purple, with silver and gold linings on the hood and sleeves, tan pants and dark brown boots. His quiver was strapped with a blue belt to his back and his blue and silver bow was put on the ground. It was the power-enhancing Sky Archer outfit.

I gleefully got off my seat and hugged him tightly, though I can sense his surprised, he quickly responded and weave his arms around my waist. It was good to be in the arms of my childhood friend again after several months.

"How have you been? It feels like decades since the last time you saw each other."

"As I would recall it, the last time was when you escorted me from Yggdrasil. I even remember seeing drops of tears gathering in your eyes that day." He smiled impishly as my cheeks darkened with embarrassment.

"Oh hush it you, something was caught in my eyes that day. But really, what have you been up to?" I rocked back and forth, unable to contain my joy.

"Well, aside from training, fighting demons and getting Scarlet Finch, I have joined a guild." He smiled.

"Really? Which one?" I gasped.

"As a matter of fact, he joined mine." The voice that made Arthur's mouth to be suspended can only belong to a certain brunette I know.

"Sister?" I exclaimed as everyone's eyes centered on the woman that just appeared at the door. Mavis Alvey, the renowned swordswoman, one of the deputy leaders of the famous guild, Eternal Dawn, the Elven Nightingale, and all and all, my dear older sister.

"You are extremely late sis!" I said as I hugged her also. She laughed.

"I don't see you complaining little sis, someone has been giving you company." She said as she nodded at Arthur. He nodded back, respect filled in his eyes. Two years have done much for Mavis, she is even more mature than before, fighting the Forces of Darkness have also contributed to her physically and mentally. And she is also on her way to becoming the most powerful sword-wielding hero in all of Etheria. People from all around the continent travel to the Elf Village only to have a match with her. I hope to be like her one day (but okay, maybe not totally like her.)

"Before we get to the main point, I really got to ask Gwen, what is with that unconscious man at the front door?" Mavis said as she pointed at the tavern door, where outside, a grown man was currently lying on the ground after being escorted out by yours truly.

"Long story short, he was harassing a barmaid so I intervened and taught him a lesson or two." I shrugged my shoulders while sipping from my cup. From the corners of my eyes, I can see my sister conversing with Arthur, probably confirming my story. When he gave her a big nod and an equally big smile. She turned to me with a radiant smile on her face also.

"Oh my dear little sis. Arriving in town for only a few hours and already being a hero! I am so proud of you!" Mavis cheered, her red eyes shining with glee.

"Putting that matter aside, I want to discuss other things with you." She said.

"You have my full attention sister."

"What would you say about come join the Eternal Dawn and living with me? I am in need of a housemate to share the work." Mavis grinned. I gasped in surprise, I know that she will help me in some way but not as big as this.

"Are you sure?"

"Of course, sisters look out for each other, besides, most of the people that I have become my housemates did not live up to my standards." My sister snorted. I laughed at that because I have no doubt that in some way; she had scared most of them off, and maybe not all due to her standards.

"Well then, I guess I should move in right away." I jumped off the wooden stool and waved at Arthur before following Mavis out of the door.

When we walked out, we had to step over the unconscious body that took over the space at the front. I winced at the sight, feeling a little bit sorry for what I did to him, but all the same, he deserved it for what he has done.

Mavis whistled, and from the dimly lit streets came a giant white-furred Persian Cat with a saddle on its back. This must be Eira, my sister's mount, according to her letters.

"Hey girl." Mavis said affectionately, while stroking the cat's fur and chin. Eira purred loudly, clearly loving her touch. After that, she opened her big, big brown eyes and looked at me with curiosity, head slightly leaning to the side.

I tentatively raise a hand, she walked over to me and sniffed my hand, her wet nose touching mine, making it tingle. She then nudged her head at my side, her eyes though closed; I can clearly see that she was asking for a petting.

"She likes you." Mavis said as I petted Eira's soft, sparkly, freshly fallen snow fur.

"Come, we should depart."

"Wait!" I shouted, halting the two of them during their walk. "I must inform a friend first." When I saw Mavis nodded, I pulled out the blue stone from my cloak pocket. I briefly saw my sister's eyes widened for a moment before I uttered the Angel of Blessing's name.

Instantly, Frigg appeared in front of us in all of her glory. She smiled at me and I grinned back in response. We then turned over to the duo, whose mouths now were slightly ajar.

"Frigg, this is my sister, Mavis Alvey. Sister, this is Frigg, she is the Angel of Blessing and Rain and a newly-made friend of mine. And oh yes, this is Eira, her mount." I introduced.

"It is a pleasure to meet you." Frigg smiled elegantly. In contrast to that, Mavis was very frazzled.

"Wai-wha-who-huh-Your Grace!" She finally said as she bowed deeply.

"Oh please do not bow to me, dear Brave, I am not but an equal to your race. And please, call me Frigg, I have no use for formalities." The blonde angel said. "Why have you summoned me Gwendoline?" She then addressed me.

"We are going to my sister's house, apparently I am going to be living with her from now on." I answered.

"Splendid! Shall we go then?" Frigg said giddily like a child.

When we started walking, Mavis was the first one to speak:

"I really need to know, how did you two meet?" She asked. Frigg and I looked at each other knowingly and smiled while taking turns to tell the story. The rest of the way home was the conversation between the 3 of us about our childhood and past. Before we know it, we were in front of a huge one-story white house, the dim lights shining inside, with an enormous garden where several dummies were set up for training, a perfect contrast to the home-grown buds of rainbow.

Mavis led Eira back to the stables and then appeared again in front of us, where she opened the arched front door with a key, leading us inside into the living room.

"Aoede? Your Holiness? I am home!" She shouted as she puts her sword down onto the table. From another room in the house, came levitating in a brown-eyed angel wearing a gold and pinkish red accented skimpy outfit, her gold-white and pink silk clothes floating behind her, she wore on her feet gold and pink high heels, and a golden headpiece adorn her black hair. This must be Aoede, the Elven Angel of Song, and my sister's angel companion.

"Mavis, you are finally home! And oh, you brought guests!" She said, her voice as sweet as the songs she sang.

"Good evening your Grace, I am Gwendoline Alvey, Mavis's little sister, it is an honor to meet you."

"Gwen? Oh I heard so much from you from Mavis! But…you are not as babyish as you're sister describes you to be." Aoede has a quizzical look on her face.

"Babyish you say." I trailed off as I looked accusingly at my sister, she just smiled and shrugged.

"And Frigg too? It has been a long time, has it not?" Aoede exclaimed.

"Yes it certainly has been Aoede, since the slumber curse, if I remember it right." The two then flew over and hugged each other, then went into another room, probably to catch up with one another.

"Come sister, I will show you to your quarters." Mavis led me down to a long hallway, and opened a room on the left side of the hall. It was a medium-sized room, with standard furnitures for a bedroom like a single bed, a white wooden dresser, a desk and others. But a few simple touches like the amethyst-colored walls, bookshelves already stacked with books and a newly installed reading chair made me feel like this could be home.

"I will leave you to yourself now, I shall inform Aoede to let Frigg stay at her room, Frigg's room shall be prepared by tomorrow. Get a good night sleep sister, I shall take you to the Eternal Dawn guild house tomorrow." She kissed my forehead and left the room.

As her footsteps died out, I put my rucksack onto the desk and lie on the bed, seeing that it was just as comfortable as it seems. As I gradually fall into dream land, I thought about what will come the next day and found that in a way, I was looking forward to seeing Arthur again.


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Eternal Dawn

 **Disclaimer: I do not own League of Angels. All characters belong to Youzu Interactive Co. Ltd and GTArcade, except for my OCs.**

* * *

I woke up with the sound of roosters in my ear and streams of filtered sunlight on my face, but I chose to ignore them and tried desperately to go back to sleep, ignoring even my sister's fervent calls.

"Gwendoline Ceridwen Alvey! You better wake up this instant or I will go up there myself!" My sister yelled from downstairs, but I was already covering my ears with a pillow. I was aware of footsteps up the stairs but I wasn't fully awake until Mavis pulled my blanket from me.

"Told you I would be up here." She smiled "Now, fresh up already, breakfast's ready." She then left me to my accord, blocking out my constant moanings. I appeared downstairs 5 minutes later, fully dressed and ready to tackle a new day.

"There's the Sleeping Beauty." Mavis joked once she caught sight of me. I only noticed then that she was donning the Medieval Armor outfit with its black and silver plates of armor and garbs of blue, her Stream Wings flittering behind her back. My sister was laying out the food on the dining table, where I noticed Frigg and Aoede was also seated. Frigg waved at me while Aoede smiled and I muttered a "Your Grace" at her. After a hearty and warm breakfast together (and which I hope more of it will come in the future), Mavis went out to fetch Eira and the 5 of us departed towards the Eternal Dawn's guild house.

Along the way, we were greeted by many civilians, heroes and Angels alike. I was stunned to see how many people recognized us, some even remembering me from last night! And how many angels and famous heroes I met that day, for back in Yggdrasil, the population of Braves and Angels were not plenty.

We finally arrived at the guild house, and because Eternal Dawn was one of the guilds on top in the League of Angels, they had a very big house. The building was stone-cladded and grey in color, with several stories stacked like a pyramid, thatched roofs and a banner with the name of the guild in gold letters and the sigil, a sun rising out of the sea, next to it.

Though the outside offered a serene and quiet atmosphere, do not be fooled, for we can very clearly hear the outrageous roaring and laughter on the inside. Mavis was not put off however as she slammed open the double doors, halting the noise for a second, and ignite it again.

"Deputy! Your Grace! Welcome back!" The various guild members shouted while the companion Angels smiled and waved at us, and Mavis offered them a big big smile. Frigg and I trailed behind the two of them, not very familiar with the feeling of everyone's eyes on us. They were muttering with each other, no doubt about us, and I even saw some people at the tavern last night.

"Is Tedric in?" My sister asked a nearby Brave.

"Yes, he is in his office." Mavis nodded and led us to the second floor, and into a spacious office where a man with night-colored hair was sitting behind a black wooden desk littered with paper. Nocturna, the Angel of the Night, was floating around his office, before catching sight of us. Aoede, Frigg and the blue-haired angel exchange words and embraces, while I bowed to her and introduced myself.

"Mavis, glad to see you so early in the morning." The man finally said, his voice deep and strong.

"Tedric, I suppose you know why I am here."

"Indeed of course, you, the Deputy Leader of Eternal Dawn, walking into the guild with a Brave and an Angel that are not members of our guild, and you request to see me. Anyone could guess that you want this person to join the guild." He said, his chin resting on the intertwined part of his hands, his voice full of sureness.

"Sharp as always. Gwen, this smug person right here is Tedric Ravenheart, the all-mighty leader of Eternal Dawn. Tedric, this is-"

"Gwendoline Alvey! I have heard words from the streets about you young lady." He barged in accordingly, leaving an open-gaped Mavis with a scowl on her face. "And of course,, who can forget the fact that you are Mavis's sister?"

"Pleasure to meet you, sir." I said.

"Sir? Please, that made me feels old, call me Tedric. But let's get into the main point shall we? Why do you think you are good enough for my guild?" He raised a tentative eyebrow and looked at me with those terrifyingly black eyes that were trying to get under my skin, making me more nervous than ever.

"W-well." I looked over to my sister, Aoede and Frigg for support, and found them silently cheering for me with their eyes and smiles. So I took a deep breath and started to talk.

"Tedric, I am sure you have heard of the Forces of Darkness invasion on Yggdrasil many years before, correct? Well then you must have heard of the leader of the army against the Forces and the healer that saved many lives during the battle, Nicholas and Trisha Alvey, yes? Well, since I was just a little girl I have been training under their tutoring and also under the priestess of our village as well. So I am very capable of my magic and fighting abilities."

"A young lady from a well-respected clan like you, will you be able to handle the horrors that the war will give out? Will you be able to withstand the sight of blood?" He asked.

"Tedric, the battles in Yggdrasil began when I was just a little girl no more than 10, I have seen all the horrors they can make, so do not worry, a little blood will not be able to hold me down." I said.

"Hm, interesting…Alright miss Gwendoline, I have one more question for you." But his question never came as before I, or rather we, were even able to comprehend what happened, he had thrown an arrow right for my face. However, I was quick enough to conjure up a shield in front of me, stopping the arrow and making it fall to the ground, leaving everyone with their mouths wide open, but only Tedric was smirking.

"Impressive, Gwendoline, quick reflexes, and to be able to make an Impenetrable Shield while only 18, I believe I have all the persuasion needed to welcome you to Eternal Dawn as the newest member." Silence ensued for next few seconds, until I finally snapped out it

"Thank you." I muttered, almost inaudibly. He then made a 'please leave' hand motion and we all exit his office together, hearing scolding, probably from Nocturna, behind us.

"That coxcomb! I cannot believe he dared throw an arrow at my sister! Really, that weasel, does he have to go that far?" My sister said angrily, stomping her way down to the first floor.

"I have never seen Tedric do that before, so it is quite peculiar when he did it to you." Aoede said.

"Nobody should ever do that to anyone, even if it is to test someone's abilities." Frigg joined in.

"Everyone please, it does not really matter anymore, what matter is, I made it into Eternal Dawn!" I said excitedly.

"That's right! After years of training, and she finally achieved her dream! This calls for a celebration! Mari! Prepare everyone's drinks!" Mavis shouted from the staircase down to the young brightly-haired female bartender below. The girl nodded and very skillfully prepare the ale for everyone, handing them out by magic every time. A pint of cool ale landed into my hands with ease as I descend to the bar next to my sister.

"To Gwendoline Alvey! Newest member of Eternal Dawn and my dear sister. May she be with us for years to come. To Gwen!"

"To Gwen!"

"And to Eternal Dawn! For being one of the top guilds in the League and for kicking those Forces of Darkness' asses. May they continue to do so." I said before they could take a sip, for I want to firstly thank the guild that accepted me.

"To Eternal Dawn!" The second roar was as loud as the first one did as everyone joined their voices. After that, everyone took a huge gulp of ale and laugh merrily. I, however, was not a fan of ale so I only took a tentative sip as to satisfy the others and put the pint down on the wooden table.

The morning festivities was soon to end however, as members began to leave with their teams and angels to do quests and several of the citizen's requests as well as investigate on the Forces' whereabouts. Mavis was also soon summoned by her team, who she introduced briefly to me, which consists of the Snow Warden, the Mermaid, the Dragon Empress and the Silver Dragon Lord. Though these famous heroes have birth names, they are more likely to be called by their titles, either self-given or dubbed by the people and only few were shared the information of their real names.

So as Mavis departed with Aoede and the rest of her team, I was alone at the bar, chit-chatting a bit with Mari, the bartender and Frigg. I spent most of that alone time reflecting on how I got where I am today, from the time that the darkness first invaded the holy tree of Yggdrasil, to the horrors of the first blood and first war, to when the first Braves left Yggdrasil, and to our first time training, my sister's departure, and then mine. I chuckled at the absurdity of it all, because though I was the daughter of a blacksmith/general and a healer, as a little girl, I would have never thought of becoming a hero.

"What is so funny, Little Elf?" Arthur approached and very casually slides into the seat next to me, his cup of ale still in his hand. Again, he smiled at me with that overly charming smile of his that made my heart go out of beat.

'Whatever is the matter with me?' I thought to myself as my heart started to even be more erratic as he went closer. From somewhere next to me, I could hear Mari's and Frigg's giggling, no doubt gossiping about our relationship and his nickname for me.

"I was just reminiscing, that is all." I took a small gulp of ale to distract me, but was soon spluttering slightly when the bitterness touched my taste buds.

'Oh yes, I must have forgot. Frigg, this is my childhood friend, Arthur. Arthur, this is my angel companion, we met on the way to the village." After I introduced, Arthur bowed to her, under her fervent calls to not do so. We spent the rest of the time sharing anecdotes, many of which were embarrassing ones, leaving us red-faced. Until Arthur was also, called over:

"Arthur! We have a job! Let's go!" A golden-haired witch shouted from nearby, accompanied by several others. They must be Arthur's team, but I was surprised to find that in his party, no matter where I looked, there is no angel present.

"Hold your horses Blue Witch! I am coming!" Arthur chuckled when he saw the witch puffed out her cheeks in annoyance while the others in his party, which, from who I could recognize, included Byron the Black, Yasi Delaney and Cedric, laughed at her antics.

He left the stool in one swift movement, but before he could make his way to his waiting team, my sentence stopped him from his tracks:

"Where is the angel in your team, Arthur?" He did not stumbled his steps when I asked, as if the question was not a surprise and he had anticipated me asking it from the start. The back of his red-covered head blocked me from reading any type of emotion, but for a while, he finally said:

"Not many have the luck you got, Gwen." He said, a slight sliver of bitterness and sadness evident in his tone, and the use of my name also shocked me for a bit, for he almost never called me by my name, except for a slight number of occasions. I was about to stop him before he strode off, rather quickly I might add, not even explaining the meaning of his statement.

"Did I do something Frigg? Did I say something out of line?" I asked, my mind befuddled. Frigg only shook her head:

"I would not say that Gwen, you two were nothing but friendly, and may I say even quite amorous to each other. There was no animosity that could rouse him like that."

"Give him time, Gwen. He is just sulking." Mari remarked, which took me by surprise.

"Sulking? About what?"

"He didn't tell you?" Now it was time for her green-specked eyes to become wide as saucers. "Well then, it is not my place to tattle. He will tell you someday, Gwen, you two are childhood friends after all." She then left to attend to her other duties, humming along the way, making me and Frigg even more confused than before. What is so terrible that Arthur had to hide it from me?

* * *

 **A/N: I know this story is a bit slow-paced, but I assure you, the action will come soon after. So please bear with me you guys.**


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: The Rogue Mount

 **A/N: My updating honestly…slow as fuuuu~.**

 **Disclaimer:** **I do not own League of Angels. All characters belong to Youzu Interactive Co. Ltd and GTArcade, except for my OCs.**

* * *

"Well, I hope that is everything." I wiped a stray bead of sweat from the side of my face as the last crate of boxes were finally set on the shop's stall, ending my first day of work as a carrier for the locals. It is nothing glamorous like fighting or exterminating monsters but it was enough to help me refine my telekinetic abilities, and also it pays well.

"Thank you dearie. You too, Your Holiness, you have been a great help." The plump-faced shopkeeper laughed gaily.

"Oh it was nothing ma'am, I am just glad to help." I smiled back, before accepting her silk handkerchief to wipe away the sweats gathering on my forehead.

"So humble and polite this girl! You are going to be a wonderful hero, Miss Gwen. Just like your dear sister." She grinned widely, thinking that she had just gave me a compliment, but her words made my heart sink deep into my stomach, where it would take a lot of effort to pull it back up again.

"Thank you ma'am." I said, though my smile didn't have enough zeal like before, a fact that the shopkeeper no doubt overlooked.

"Here is your pay, dearie. Again, thank you for all of your help." She practically jammed the coins into my hand, and closed my hand into a fist before I could even inspect the amount that she gave, but judging by the weight, I could already tell that she gave us more than we are worth. I tried to open my mouth, but she then gently clamped down on my closed hand and said:

"Now now, this is surely enough for all the services that you have provided us today and no no, no arguing with me about this young lady, you have proven your worth already." She smiled and patted me on the head, like a doting mother. Needless to say I was surprised by her action, but surprise soon turned into gratitude as I return her with a big grin:

"Thank you."

"You are welcome dear. Now, it is almost noon time, I must get back to work, and I am sure you do too."

"Then we will not bother you further." Frigg and I waved at her as we made our way out of the market before slowing down to a leisurely stroll, greeting people along the way, and only stopping at the main square, where the towering statue of Nocturna stood, no longer emitting the blue light.

"I am planning to go to the tavern, do you mind finding other companionship Frigg?" I asked the blonde angel floating next to me.

"Not at all, Gwen. I am sure that any of the angels would be happy to have my company, you go." At once, she disappeared in a spiral of blue sparks, which showered over me like fallen rain. I consciously reached out to touch the falling orbs of light, smiling softly as it escapes through the spaces between fingers and vanished.

I arrived at the tavern a moment later, going through the familiar doors, which had been the start of the spread of my reputation. As I entered, the patrons momentarily turned back to see the newly arrived guest, but soon return to their antics once they discovered who it was. But the barmaids' reactions were a little bit different.

"Ms. Alvey! Welcome welcome again to the Night Owl Tavern! Please take a seat, your lunch will be out in a minute." A black-haired barmaid greeted me more cheerfully than I could remember, and before I could even protest, she had already positioned me at a table. She then went away, leaving me in a state of sheer confusion.

'What the?' I thought to myself as I brushed my purple locks of hair out of the way, my blue eyes scrunching up, not entirely aware of what is going on.

"Here you go, miss. This is free by the way." A pretty blonde girl put a steaming plate of food down onto the table. My mouth was watering profusely obviously because of the delicious-smelling fumes currently emitting from the plate, but I still contained my hunger to turn my head and thank her.

"Wait, are not you…the girl that was attacked?"

"Why Ms. Alvey! I never thought you would have recognized me, yes, I am that girl, and me and the girls want to thank you for what you have done. That foul man had been harassing us for quite some time now, and after what you have done, why! I think he will not show his face for a while! So please, enjoy the free meal." Our brief conversation stopped, for she had other patrons to attend to, and I finally could devour the meal.

Not long after I began, I sensed movement near me, and from the upper of my eyelids, I saw a flash of blue and silver, who had now reside at the seat opposite of me.

"Hello there stranger." I teasingly said.

"I am hurt, Little Elf, that you consider me no more than a stranger. Does over 10 years of friendship mean nothing to you?" Arthur dramatically exclaimed, a hand over his heart in feigned shock. I smiled at his antics, but it quickly changed.

"For Angel's sake Arthur! Get your own lunch!" I swiped his hand away before it could touch even a morsel of food on the plate, and continued to do so when he tried again.

"Come on, Little Elf! Spare this hungry Brave some food, would you? After all, I am still your dear childhood friend!" He pouted cutely, which made my heart lurched in a way that I have never experienced before. I pushed my plate to the midway point between us, all the while trying to fight back a blush that is itching to creep up my fair face. With a delicious, hearty meal in the middle of us, we spent most of our time conversing:

"So, what have you been up to this morning?" He asked, biting off a piece of bread.

"Oh, for my first ever mission, acting as the unofficial transporter for the people is not such a bad predicament you know." I smiled, cutting off a slice of cheese and popping it into my mouth. "What about you?"

"A pack of monsters was spotted on the outskirts of town, so my team decided to eliminate the problem before it gets to the village. Same old role of a Brave you know. You are quite lucky, Little Elf, I remember my first job, and dear Angels was the stable stinky!" From there he began to rant about his first day in the village, though I tried to listen, there was still a question nagging in the back of my mind: What about his angel?

Should I ask him? Would that be rude? The last time I asked him it did not really go so well…but I am still so curious…but I do not want to offend him either. All of my questions remained unanswered however, because a cacophony of noises and shouts attracted everyone's attention, followed by pain-filled neigh. Arthur and I were instantly alert, could it be monsters? But at this time of day? Surely they would not be so blatant and obvious. Still, like many other people, we went outside to investigate.

The scene before us was quite a disturbing sight, people were littered all over the place, some in groups, some by themselves, but all of them were carrying weapons of varying kind, from spears to swords to wands and bows. The hunt was on, and their prey, a majestic ivory horse with rusted brown armor on parts of its body, mane and legs, pendants of azure shone in the light as it hung from its saddle, its feathered wings flapped about, creating winds that threatened to knock even the strongest person off their feet, its tell-tale mechanical horn sat atop its forehead, giving away its identity.

"A Windance Unicorn." Arthur whispered in disbelief. I too, was in shock, Windance Unicorns are rare creatures, and though them being mounts are not unheard of, they are extremely hard to tame and would almost never come in contact with any race. So what was one doing in this village?

"Get it!" A man shouted. At once, a volley of ropes shot out and in a matter of moments, the unicorn was tied up and subdued, its horrified neigh filled our ears once more. I could not take it anymore.

"Stop!" Before anyone could recover, I had already shielded the horse's whole body with my own, welcoming the weapons with arms open wide. Everyone looked at me with shock in their eyes, none of them have thought that someone would interrupt, but I did not care, it is wrong to hurt a magnificent creature like this.

"Move it girlie, this is not your fight." A man grumbled.

"Let me define fight for you mister! A fight is between two opponents with equal strength, and frankly, this does not seem like a fight to me." I gestured to the writhing unicorn still being encased in a cage of ropes, all the while still glaring at the crowd. A grey-specked haired man came forward, face scowling, further enhancing the wrinkles set deep into his face:

"Let me tell you something, little _lady_ , will you not find it weird too if suddenly a creature such as this comes racing into a village, acting like as though it is on a rampage? We have a duty to protect the people you know!"

"Then has it not occurred to your minds that 'this creature' was possibly running from danger? Windance Unicorns are very docile and gentle creatures, they will not attack unless provoked. So by initiating this hunt, you are scaring it and making the situation worse!" I was sure I left him speechless, which was exactly what I wanted him to be right now. I stared at the crowd once more, some of them flinching at my intent gaze, from feeling guilty or scared I do not know.

I kneeled down to the unicorn, which has ceased its whining and instead was still moving around trying to manoeuvre its way out of the net. It started panicking again when it saw me approaching, but I quickly casted a spell to ease it. I gestured for something to cut the sturdy net with, and when I felt the weight of the hilt of a knife against my palm, I deftly sliced the net without any hesitation.

Seeing the unicorn up close and in all of its glory was even more overwhelming than I thought, how many people would ever have the chance to see a unique animal like this in person? It shook its billowy white mane, sending invisible white sparks into the wind. It walked up to me, nudging and nuzzling at my neck affectionately, as if though we have known each other for decades on end already. I stroke its muzzle delicately, feeling a sense of calmness washing over my whole body, and in the moment that our eyes made contact, I think we both knew that a bond has been created between us.

"You never cease to amaze me, Little Elf." Arthur gingerly sauntered over, looking at the unicorn with awe in his eyes. She made a little noise at his appearance, but I quickly quieted her down.

"Shh, it is fine, he is a friend, he will not hurt you." Believing my words, she allowed Arthur to touch her, and while doing so, he lowly whistled.

"So what now, Little Elf? I do not think it-"

"She." I interrupted.

"What?" He looked at me peculiarly, an eyebrow rose in confusion.

"This is a she." I announced as if though it is the most obvious thing in the world.

"How can you be so sure?"

"Just a feeling." We glanced at each other again, and an understanding seemed to travel between the two of us. I could not help but smile.

"Getting back to my question…Are you going to adopt her? It does not seem like she would leave your side anytime soon." He remarked.

"Why not? Every Brave needs a mount anyways. Hmmm…I shall call you…Azura." I said, looking at both the crystal gems on the ends of her saddles and her big blue eyes, its brilliant shade rivaling the gems themselves. She neighed happily, satisfied with her new name. Arthur and I sneaked a look at each other, and we grinned knowingly. Whoever would have thought that I would get a Mount on my first day?


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Trouble on the Horizon

 **A/N: Happy Late New Year everyone! Here's to hoping that 2017 won't suck like 2016!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own League of Angels. All characters belong to Youzu Interactive Co. Ltd and GTArcade, except for my OCs.**

* * *

The look on Mavis', Aoede's and Frigg's faces when I returned with a Windance Unicorn as my mount were utterly priceless. Who knew they would react so shockingly? Frigg practically squealed and almost crashed into Azura trying to get closer while my sister stood there, astonished and impressed:

"Great job, sister dear." Needless to say, Eira gained a new stablemate that day.

It has been a few weeks since that day, and we have moved on with our lives. During that period, I also went on my first killing mission with my sister's team in the forest bordering the village. Every Brave says the first kill is the worst experience, and they could not be more right. I was a Mage, so I did not directly felt the flesh of the enemy ripping under a sword or dagger, but I could hear the agonized screams when my Shock Therapy hit a random Archer, watched as his body convulsed wildly, and then dropping to the floor motionlessly, lifeless. I could have been killed that day if Frigg had not got me out of my distraction. I could still remember my sister's words that night, when she went to my room to console me after a horrific nightmare that I had of the battle scene replaying over and over:

" _Have you ever wondered why the angels gave us power? Maybe because they believe that we can tell apart what is wrong and what is right, and use our powers for good. And yes, though many have strayed down towards a darker path, it is our responsibility to either guide them to a lighter path, or stop them from hurting anymore innocent people. Look, Gwen, I fully understand what you are going through, heck, to this day I still remember the first person I slayed with my sword, but what you did, was the right thing. So do not think about it too much, and I just want you to know, that I am your sister, and I will always be there for you."_

Mavis was right, I did eventually got over it, because if there is indeed a chance to save the world, to restore the Angels, to bring Yggdrasil to what it once was…then I will take it and fight for it until my very last breath.

Apart from that, life flowed on like a serene stream of water, without any large pebbles to block its way, until one day, that is.

It was an unusually grey day, muddied clouds dotted and covered the sky, casting a dusty haze all over the village, rendering everything dim and foggy. My mood was lifted for a moment when I an envelope was dropped into my hand by a messenger pigeon, which then slowed down and perched on the small bird fountain near there. I immediately recognized the handwriting.

"Who is it from Gwen?" My sister inquired when she saw the envelope in my hands.

"It is mother and father." I replied, already eager to rip open the envelope to peruse the content inside. Mavis shared the same enthusiasm, immediately beckoning me over, handing me the letter opener. I sliced off the top with ease, and began to read with a clear voice:

" _To my girls, it is a parents' greatest pleasure to see their children gradually grow up with little tiny wings behind their backs, still too small to fly, until the day they can flap their wings and fly away to discover the world outside of the once enclosed box they used to live in. It brings us joy every single time to be able to hear about your life and adventures, and how much you have grown from then. Mavis, when will you take the position of Leader I wonder? Gwen, so you have finally walked down the road of a Brave, the first time you kill is always the hardest, we have all been there, but just know that there are greater dangers ahead of you, but you are a strong girl my dear, and we have no doubt that you will get through them. But we fear that time has run out. Yggdrasil is in danger. These last few days the roots have begun to dry up, the water has stopped flowing, and the leaves have begun to lose color and wither away. The angel Ysera have been away for too long, and Yggdrasil cannot sustain itself no further. If the World Tree collapses, then what will become of Etheria? Though we pray that the Angels will guide us, we both fear for the worst. Forever with love, your mother and father."_

My voice faltered with every word, and fell silent when my eyes finished roaming the letter. I checked the letter again and again for signs of fraud or forgery, but I could not find evidence to deny that the letter was not written by my father, the penmanship was unique. I passed the letter to my sister's numb hand, sitting down on a nearby chair while trying to soothe my racing mind. I have heard rumors on the street about Yggdrasil, but never in an Angel's life could I ever imagine that those rumors are true, after all, I have lived there all my life, and the tree has never once showed signs of withering. Yggdrasil is the root of life for all of Etheria, if it dies, then everything will die along with it.

We cannot let that happen.

"This is absurd, how could this happen? Aoede, Frigg, do you know exactly how long it has been since the Angels were frozen?" Mavis asked.

"If my perception of time is correct, I would estimate it to be about a decade ago." Aoede's beautiful face scrunched up in thought.

"But a decade is still too long of a time for the World Tree to not receive Ysera's care and nurture so it collapsing is not that surprising. Even so, I still shudder to think what will happen to Etheria when the World Tree falls." Frigg shivered in fright and worry, two emotions present in all of us right this moment.

"What are we going to do now sister?"

"What else? We have to travel back to Yggdrasil and find Ysera's stone. But first, we need to inform Tedric of our plans."

* * *

"What do you mean we are not allowed to go?" Mavis screamed louder than I expected, I have never seen her this enraged before, most of the time she kept a calm and composed demeanor. Even so, even with the incarnation of a dragon breathing fire down his throat, the black-haired leader did not flinch one bit, instead, he stared down at us with a cold gaze.

"You heard what I said Mavis, you are not allowed to go to Yggdrasil." He stated matter-of-factly. At the side, Nocturna looked as though she wanted to speak, but seeing the tension in the room, she chose to just float idly by.

"With all due respect Tedric, Yggdrasil is our hometown, and with the state of the World Tree right now, I think they very much need help and aid." I said.

"Since that is our hometown then you must be aware that there are guilds of Braves there right Ms. Alvey? I am confident that they can manage on their own." He retorted with a monotone voice, making me take a step back in surprise.

"But-"

"Is this about the event one year ago Tedric?" This time, Mavis was the one with a placid face, while on his face, though unnoticeable, was a slight cringe in the mask he wore.

"This has nothing to do with that. But I am warning you Mavis, stay out of it or I will revoke your position as Deputy. The same goes for you Gwendoline. Now leave, I have more matters to deal with." Our mouths were left agape when we heard the threat and me and Frigg were about to open our mouths again to argue, but a simple shake of the head from Mavis prevented us from doing so. We left his office in defeat.

"Do you think he will actually go through with it? Will he really demote you Mavis if you disobey him" Frigg said in concern.

"I have known Tedric for two years now, and even though he might be an eccentric, he is a man of his words. If he had set his mind on something, then he will do it." My sister answered.

"This is not entirely his fault, he has been affected too much by that event." Aoede tried to put in a word to ease the tension. She is indeed a soft-hearted angel.

"Sister, back then, the event that you were referring to…is it when Eternal Dawn tried to help a guild in the Forgotten Realm fight back the Forces?" I remembered receiving a letter from my sister a year ago detailing the happenings of the occurrence. She nodded in confirmation.

"What happened?" Frigg asked. That is right, Frigg was still frozen as a statue when it occurred, so she was unaware of that event.

"About a year ago, a guild in the Forgotten Realm contacted us asking for help in defeating an army of the Forces of Darkness since they were outnumbered. At the climax of the battle, we were forced to make a decision to help turn the tide, and that decision cost the lives of many Braves and civilians there. The people of the Realm blamed us, and though our relationship with them has improved tremendously, I think the experience still hit Tedric hard. So from then on, he had forbidden us to interfere in the other continents' affairs." Mavis recounted.

"That is terrible." The blonde Angel of Blessing whispered.

"But the world faces a much more perilous danger now, and unless we do something, we will all be doomed." The Elven Angel said in a gloomy tone.

"But even if we do something, then Mavis will lose her position." I said dejectedly. My sister uttered no words for the remaining day.

* * *

The day passed by with no hitch or obstacle, a thing which bothered me more than making me relieved. I pondered about consulting Arthur, after all we were from the same continent, but decided against it, for fear of him reporting back to Tedric. Although I trust him with my life, that indefinite fear held me back and made me silent for the whole day.

It was nighttime at the Elf Village, a thin layer of fog was still enveloping the whole village in its embrace, making the chilly night even more mystifying than usual. I have wanted to discuss with my sister, but right after dinner, she had stood up and went into her room without a word.

I was caught in between two decisions: do I risk my membership in Eternal Dawn? Or help my hometown in restoring Yggdrasil, and in turn save all of Etheria?

I have thought about it all day, but at that moment, when a rare sliver of moonlight illuminated a nearby tree, casting it in a luminescent silver glow, there was no more doubt in my mind. I knew what I have to do.

I quickly walked around the room to get the essentials, and immediately put them in my rucksack, the same one I came with. I then put on a short, a white top and finally a dark purple robe. I then reached for the staff, holding its cool metal rod in my hand, the crystal was still bursting with life, ready to fire any spell at my command. My plan was to get Azura and go with Frigg, I will not let Mavis throw away all of her work for the past two years.

I tiptoed down the stairs, tentatively looking around to make sure that no one was there. When I saw the whole first floor in total silence and darkness, I nearly let out a sigh of relief. I walked very slowly and carefully towards the front door, making sure that my footsteps made no noise. After a while, I made it, but as I was about to grasp the door open…

"What are you doing?" A voice came from the darkness, making me jump a bit and the hairs on my nape to prickle in astonishment.

"Sister!" Out from the shadows came the brown head of my sister, her blood-red eyes looking at me with a hint of amusement.

"W-w-wha, n-no, I am not doing nothing."

"Well with your hand grasped so tightly to the door handle like that, I would not call that nothing." The corner of her lips tugged up ever so slightly and started to twitch a little, whether in annoyance or enjoyment I do not know. Mavis have always been a hard person to read.

"You know, sometimes I am surprised just how alike we are. After all…we both have the same idea of leaving the house." She chuckled, showing me the bag she carried previously hidden by the shadows. No way. She was planning to do the same thing as I am?

Taking no notice of my frozen stature, Mavis walked past me to open the door, letting in a particularly refreshing breeze and the moonlight to cast away the darkness.

"Come on, let us go. I have already contacted my team, they are waiting for us, and believe me, you do not want to keep The Dragon Empress waiting, she has quite a temper." My sister cracked a smile, not even caring if right at this moment, she was breaking the rules, but then again, she has always been quite a rebel.

I know that it was better to have Mavis accompany me, this is a mission impossible to do alone. But why then, does my heart ache like so?


	7. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: A Chance Encounter

 **Disclaimer: I do not own League of Angels. All characters belong to Youzu Interactive Co. Ltd and GTArcade, except for my OCs.**

* * *

Sure, I have been on a few missions with my sister's team, and it has been proven to me countless of times that their teamwork is impeccable on the battlefield, but who knew taking a journey with them would be this raucous and chaotic.

"Are you seriously trying to imply that my dragons are incapable?" The Dragon Empress stroke her crimson-scaled dragon with a subtle roughness - its nostril spilling out small puffs of smoke from trapped fires - giving a warning glare to the subject of her vexation, who was sitting idly by as if though his statement was not one to be argued with.

"Well my dear Empress, if they were to be so willing to light us a fire, I would not have to imply such a thing." The man in question was sitting down with one leg raised up to support his arms, though not smiling, his eyes showed a twinkle of delight, his silver hair draping over his face in an organized mess.

"What about your dragons then? Surely you could spare a second to summon one and get us some fire right? Or are you just a half-assed excuse of a dragon lord?" She taunted back with a smirk, which triggered a sort of irritation in him, for he responded, and the banter went on for a few moments under the amusement of others. That is until the chill of the night began to set in, and still there was no campfire.

"Alright that is enough you two, unless you want die of the cold tonight then could any of you just start a fire already?" Mavis interfered right before the two was about to summon their dragons and have a duel right there and then. The Silver Dragon Lord and Dragon Empress, though they had stopped arguing, still looked at each other with the darkest of scowl. We all let out a small giggle, and finally, courtesy of the Empress, a brilliant fire was ignited.

As the curtain of the night descended into a void of blackness, leaving a blank canvas for the whites and yellows of the stars to paint itself on, the howls and groans of the unnamed monsters and animals began to come into play.

"I am going to take first watch, you all go to sleep, we still got a while until we arrive at Yggdrasil." I volunteered while still feeding the fire with logs. The others nodded, some yawned, quickly retreating to their respective tents to catch up on some precious rest, a privilege rarely received in the life of a Brave.

Soon enough, it was just me, the fire and Frigg. Encased by the shadows of the night, the amber glow of the campfire and the ethereal light that seems to always be emitted from Frigg, are the only things that provides me comfort.

Sneaking a quick glance towards the tent in which my sister currently resides, I could not help the treacherous thoughts which crawled their ways into my mind.

'Why? I know that I cannot do this without her…so why is it that I want her to stay out of this?' I put my chin on top of my interwoven arms, letting out a desolate sigh. The monstrous sounds that resonated around me did not deter me from my thoughts, but soon, something did.

"Crunch." The sound of a snapped twig was undeniable, and it came from a distance so close to our camp that it made me to almost break out in cold sweat. I signaled for Frigg to rouse everyone awake, while I quickly grabbed my staff to investigate.

I gulped once more when the sound erupted near me, the tips of my finger tingling with a start of a spell. The stars of Varda provide little light, and even Lunaria's moon did not help me in identifying the source of the sound. So I listened carefully. Footsteps. Immediately, a beam of energy escaped my hand, and struck into the darkness.

"Ow!" An all too familiar voice accompanied a thud. My eyes widened when I heard it. I urged the crystal upon my staff to burn a bright light, and I approached the sound. His face appeared upon the shining of the light.

"Arthur?" I exclaimed.

"Gwen!" I heard the voice of my sister shouting through the night, and thundering footsteps approaching where we were. Meanwhile, the aforementioned person had just sat up and is nursing both his head and the spot where I hit him.

"Are you alright?" Mavis asked once she saw me. Everyone was trailing behind her, all in defensive mode and ready to attack. I nodded curtly at her question and proceeded to kneel down to look at his wound. Everybody's eyes widened when they saw who it was.

"Is that…Arthur?!" The Mermaid was the first person to blurt it out, while everyone was still in a stupor.

"For Angel's sake everyone stop standing there like idiots. Help me bring him back to camp!"

* * *

"Here, drink up." I said while handing him the cup filled with water. He accepted it with gratitude:

"Thank you." He downed the cup in one gulp, signing in satisfaction when he was done. Thankfully I did not hit him too hard, and it was nothing a little ointment and healing potion cannot fix. The right side of his ribs still had to be bandaged though, and even now when I stared at it I felt guilty. There was only me and Mavis inside the tent, the rest of us had gone outside to take watch, their sleep had been interrupted anyways.

"So, what happened?" Mavis finally asked when she saw Arthur had regained his health.

"Well, I was taking first watch when I heard a noise coming from the woods. I told Frigg to wake you all up and go to investigate by…myself. And…um…I kind of fired an energy blast without knowing it was him?" As the story progressed I became more hesitant and embarrassed, I have already made a major mistake without realizing, a Brave should never go investigating an unknown sound alone.

"So the person who did this was you? By my angels Little Elf, your blast was powerful!" Arthur did not show any sign of rage, but rather laughed humorously, an action that sent him clutching his wound in pain. Still, I bit my lip in remorse.

"The question still remains though, what ae you doing here Arthur?" Mavis narrowed her eyes in suspicion.

"Well, uh, Tedric was in quite a state when he found out that you are all gone. And he is deploying everyone to find you immediately."

"So, you are here to bring us back are you?" My sister cocked an eyebrow, a glare still present on her face. I also widened my eyes at the news, how had Tedric found out so quickly?

"Quite the contrary, Deputy, I am actually here to join you." He smiled. Our jaws were hanging when hearing that.

"Remember, my hometown is Yggdrasil too, and what kind of a Brave am I if I were to left it to defend for itself?"

"So you have heard." I muttered, thinking back to the letter of my parents, and remembering the shock that it brought us.

"Yes, a letter from my mother arrived recently detailing their complication back home." At this his smile turned upside down, he also must be thinking about the World Tree's and its citizens' blight like we are.

"How do I know what you are saying is true?" A tone of doubt was still laced in Mavis's voice, but seeing how Arthur was right now, I cannot see any reason to not believe him.

"Have I ever lied to you Deputy? And if I am really here to bring you back, then why did I go alone and not with my party?"

"All right, just making sure," She finally cracked a smile "Speaking of which, where is your party anyways?"

"They are back at camp, just a few steps away from yours I reckon. I was going around looking for firewood."

"Might as well."

"Might as well what?" We both looked at Mavis in confusion, seeing this, Mavis smiled:

"Since Arthur is joining us, is it not logical that we are going to let his whole team join our journey as well?"

"Oh that is right! Can you stand though Arthur?" He nodded at my question, and immediately rise up from where he laid. He stood for a while and stretched, showing off his hard-earned lean and muscular body, a sight which brought a bright blush to my cheeks. My sister sent me an amused smile when she saw me in that kind of state, in return, I gave her an annoyed glare.

"Now," He went over to where his clothes were and started to put them on, "Shall we go?"

* * *

It was true that his camp was only a few minutes away, so it was quite a surprise that both of us did not notice at all that we were so close to each other. But then again, the night was extremely dark today.

As we approached, the campfire blazes even more brightly, illuminating several figures sitting nearby there. Hearing footsteps, the white-haired magician immediately stood up with the other figures:

"Who goes there?" Byron the Black bellowed, prompting the Blue Witch to start a spell, and Cedric and Yasi to draw their weapons.

"It is alright everyone! It is just me!" Arthur replied, and stepped out of the shadow. Mavis and I followed suit. Seeing familiar faces, they slowly lowered their defences, smiles erupting onto their faces when they saw their leader was alright. Blue Witch was the one who made the first move:

"Arthur! Where have you been? We were all worried sick!" She yelled when she finally reached him.

"Oh for Angel's sake, do not shout Blue Witch! I was just going out to get more firewood and then surprisingly ran into them." He nodded at our direction, which sent another wave of guilt rushing into my whole self. "Ran into" is a too nice way to put it.

"Well that is just perfect is it not? We were looking for you anyways." Cedric said.

"So we have heard." Mavis smiled, "Our camp is just some footsteps away, do you mind joining us? It would be easier to do so, after all, we all have the same goal here."

And thus, when the sun rises, our party increased from seven to thirteen.

* * *

 **A/N: So yeah, I'm...back? Probably, maybe? I have been writing but not as much as I would like so I'm sorry to anyone who's expecting the next chapter. On a side note, Happy New Year everyone!**


	8. Chapter 7

Chapter 7: Back Home

We all arrived at Yggdrasil as the sun shone brightly on the clear sky, giving each and every branch and detail of the World Tree a brightening gleam. Even so, it cannot escape one's eyes that Yggdrasil has lost its inner magic, an observation made even more evident as we came closer.

The leaves no longer shone with a deep jade green, the bark was slowly peeling off, and the Tree did not shine with its inner glow like always, now depending on other sources to offer it light. We looked at each other with trepidation in our eyes, we all understood the danger all Etheria was in, and if we do not do anything about it, then nothing will prosper here again.

"Halt!" A voice sounded from above, making us stop on our way and gazed up, "Who goes there?"

It took only a moment for Mavis, Arthur and I to recognize the guards situated in the watchtowers above, the first defence line of Yggdrasil, and the people responsible for reporting any trouble.

"Mavis Naida Alvey of Yggdrasil, Gwendoline Ceridwen Alvey of Yggdrasil, Arthur Rowan Elric of Yggdrasil and their respective parties!" My sister cupped her hands on either side of her mouth in order to accentuate her voice and shouted back.

"Oh! The daughters of the Alveys and the son of Mrs. Elric. Come up!" Instantly, we ascended the stairs that would lead us higher and higher to the heart of the World Tree, all the while waving whenever someone smiled at us, and sighing when another dead leaf would fall into our hands.

It took only moments for us to arrive at the square of Yggdrasil, where crowds and crowds of people and Angels alike were gathering around, no doubt muttering and whispering about how the statue of Ysera still remained lifeless and how the Tree is dying alongside it. We manoeuvred through the crowd until the whole statue and the sight of the priestess of our village was visible to us.

"Oh dear Angels! Thank god you are here!" Jillian exclaimed, joy and fear mixed together into a frightful concoction, leaving us both anxious and belated.

"Jillian! How long has it been?" Mavis greeted first.

"Too long, almost 2 years already now, yes? And who would have thought I would be seeing you so soon again Gwen? It is good that you are here, we are all in distress, and we need all the help we can get."

"What do you need us to do?" I asked.

"Well, this is actually a very simple problem to fix, we only need to find Ysera's shard and restore it to the Seal of Life. The only obstacle is time, if we do not find the shard quickly, everything will wither and die."

"Has there been any clue to where the shard is?" In response the elf shook her head:

"Unfortunately, no. Our only hope is that it is in Yggdrasil, everyone has been in a frantic trying to find it."

"Do not fret Jillian, we will definitely help." Everyone nodded their head at my sister's statement, resolved to do anything that we can.

"Thank you so much Mavis, with you here, I can somehow breathe easy." That almost sent a pang of anger to my heart, and as I bit my lip in an effort to force it down, it was still able to hurt me.

"I guess we better go home for a bit right? After all, we had a long journey, and need all of the rest we can get." Everyone nodded at Arthur's statement, and dispersed to different places. Mavis, Aoede, Eira, Frigg, Azura and I of course, were heading to our parents' house, a place that I did not anticipate to see again after such a short time.

We took the familiar route, going past sights that we grew up with, and finally ended up in front of the cozy cottage that was our childhood home. It felt just like yesterday that I left. The chimney still spewed smoke, the bricked roof remained a faded red, and with each step we could still hear the various noises happening inside. It would have been all the same if the grass had not crunched dreadfully dead under our feet, and the flowers that mother prized were not slowly losing their petals.

We arrived at the wooden door, and rapped on the rough bark of the door, awaiting an answer. After a while, a faint "just a minute" was the only answer we need. The door finally burst open to reveal our dear mother, greyish-purple hair and wrinkled deep red eyes, she was still the same. Her mouth opened into an "o" when she saw us, and no words seemed to be able to escape her throat.

"Good morning mother, it is good to be back again." I greeted, a big smile present on my face. In return, she was unable to do anything but raised her hands to cover her mouth, broken sounds were heard.

"My dear girls." She finally spoke, her voice thick with emotion. "I have missed you so much." Wasting no time, she ran over and tried her best to wrap her arms around us both, pulling us into a warm hug.

"It has been a long time mother."

"Yes indeed. Come come, bring the mounts over here and tie them up, what beautiful creatures they are, and then come inside. Your Graces, please, I welcome you into my humble abode."

"You are too kind, Mrs. Alvey, we are grateful for your hospitality." Aoede smiled and silently floated inside, Frigg followed after. My sister and I also quickly took care of our mounts and joined them all.

As we stepped inside, the strong smell of herbs, flowers, smoke and food swirled together into a hurricane, filling the house with a cacophony of scents. We smelled with relish, thinking back to the days of old, where fighting and evil seems to be the last things on our mind.

"Mother, where is father?" I asked.

"Oh, he is in the forgery, he is busier than ever what with the chaos happening and all. People are now more worried than ever than the Forces are going to strike." She sighed.

"Yes, we heard what happened. Why now mother? After all these years."

"We do not know either honey. All of us just know that if we do not restore Ysera's shard then every living thing in Etheria will die. Even I have been having trouble finding all of the herbs I need for my elixirs and medicines."

"Do not worry mother, we will help with all of our power." Mavis promised.

"But is this alright? Do you not have business back in the Elf Village with your guilds too?" My sister and I looked at each other warily, but quickly came to the decision to not tell her.

"It is alright mother, we have permission, and this is for the good of the whole country after all." I said. She nodded, and for the next few hours we conversed together all the while helping her with errands just like before.

Finally, when the sun fell down and Nocturna doused the world in a dark blue hue, we heard the door opening and footsteps coming inside. It did not take long to figure out that it was our father.

"I am home!" His deep voice reverberated.

"Welcome back father/darling." We faced him and said simultaneously. Undoubtedly taken by surprise, we saw him took a step back when he saw his two daughters with their Angels in his house.

"What the…girls, why did not you tell me you are coming back?" His mouth flapped open.

"We wanted to surprise you." I giggled.

"So that is why I saw two unfamiliar mounts on our backyard."

"Pleasure to meet you Mr. Alvey!" Aoede and Frigg flew over in front of him in enthusiasm. "I am Frigg, the Angel of Blessing, and this is Aoede, the Elven Angel of Song."

"Yes, I have heard of you Your Holinesses. It is an honor to be in your presence. So what is this reunion all about?" He said as he hung up his coat and walked over to the dining table, where we all took a seat.

"Well, after your letter, we were so astonished by the situation that we had to come and help. After all, Yggdrasil is still our home."

"Well then, it is good that you here, we are all horribly in confusion right now, everyone fears for their lives, and there has been no clue of the whereabouts of the shard."

"Frigg, Aoede," I turned over to the two Angels, "Do you know where Ysera's shard could be?"

"It is very hard to say," The blond angel pursed her lips. "Have you searched her temple yet?"

"Yes, after the first signs of wither we all sent a group of Braves to enter Her Grace's temple, but there was no sign of her shard in any crook or cranny. Even worse, a party of monsters and dark sorcerers and warriors were already there too. It seems that they have the same intentions as us, but their objective is surely to destroy the shard."

"We cannot let that happen!" I exclaimed.

"I know dear, but every inch of the World Tree is currently being searched right now, and nothing has yet to surface." Mother put down steaming hot food onto the table, joining the conversation.

"This is not good news, if the Forces get their hands on the shard first, who knows what will happen." Aoede shivered.

"Are there any other places that might hold the shard?" I asked.

"Well," I saw my father chewed the inside of his cheek. "Trisha honey, do you remember the myth about the original Angel of Trees' temple?"

"Yes I do! But that is just a myth is it not?" Mother gasped. We looked at each other and at them in confusion, begging for an answer.

"Whatever do you mean? Is the temple right now not the original one?"

"Actually, there are rumors that state that Ysera's temple once stood in a different part of the tree, but after the time when people start to use the temple grounds to do gruesome deeds, Ysera began to punish all of us. In order for it to end, we had had to build another grander and more secure temple in a different place, with much stricter rules. But this supposedly happened a long time ago, and no one could actually testify its validity."

"As a matter of fact, I have heard of this before. I remember it quite well, it was indeed a long time ago. Ysera was quite horrified when she learned what the people have done while at the temple. I remembered seeing her absolutely furious at the meeting, it could have happen that she ordered a new one built." Aoede stated.

"Then that could be the clue! The shard must lie somewhere in the old temple then. Do you know where it is?" But mother just shook his head.

"Unfortunately the location and events that happened were so taboo that it had not been mentioned for quite a while, and people now just regarded them as myths, so we do not know."

"Hm." I tapped a finger on my chin. "Back in the days when I used to apprentice for Jillian, I remember a huge archive where everything that has happened and every information at Yggdrasil were recorded in massive leather books. If the story is true, then it must be there somewhere!" Everyone brightened at this revelation.

"But it is too late now for you to go, let us wait until daybreak." We all nodded, agreeing to this statement, our muscles ached and creaked and begged for a good night rest. And that is exactly what we did right after spending precious moments reminiscing and catching up.


End file.
